sheppard



' this specification, and in which-- that the operator can fasten the hoop by inserting the end of it at one side tetra item: ffirr.

I yLcttcrs Patent No 75,705, dated .BIm'ch 17, 1868.

IMPROVED COTTON-BALE TIE.

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TO ALL WHOM IT MAY CONCERN:

Be it known that I, J. L. SHEPrARD, of Charleston, inthc district of Charleston, and State of South C-arolina, have invented a new and improved'Cotton-Bale Tie; and I do hereby declare the following'to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same reference being bad to the accompanying drawings, forming part of Figure 1 is a-plan of my improved-lock or tie. Figure 2 is a view'of the same applied to the hoop, when the Figure 3 is a similar view near the close of the process. Y

Figure 4 is a view of the same after the completion of the process. Figure '5 is-a longitudinal vertical section through the centre of the tie and'hoop. Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several figures. The main feature in this invention consists in making the tie of a sing'l process of locking the halo is partially completed.

I e pieceof metal, of such a shape of thctie, and turning the latter partially round.

In the drawings, the piece of 7 metal used 'i'or locking the ends of the bands or hoops is clearly shown in fig. 1: It consists of: a single'plate,

of any suitable metal--hrass, cast iron, wrought iron, or Steel -having an opening, A, of the form shown, and an arm, B, between which and the body of the plate is a recess, a, of Suficient width and depth to admit a hoop of' the form used in ba'ling cotton.

The expansion of the bale will keep this end in place.

The opening A is constructed with two straight parallel sides, a a, and two curved ends, a a. The parallel sides extend in the same direction as the arm B, lying parallel to it, and so situated that a cross-section through the centre of arm 13 would out both sides a a at their centre. The distance between the sides a a is a little greater than the width of a balc-hoop, so that the latter can easily be inserted between them, in the manner shown in fig. 2. The length of the ilat sides a a is equal to the distance between them, making the space indicated by the red dotted lines a: a perfect square.

A tic being thus constructed, one end of the hoop H isbent around the side A farthest from the arm 13, in such a manner that the bent end shall come underneath the hoop, and be pressed down by it against the hole.

Whenthe hoop is to be'locked to the halo, the tie is turned, as shown in fig. 2, and the end II of the hoop is passed through it in the manner there represented. The next step in the operation is to bend the end H back, as shown-in fig. 3. After this, the tie is turned back toits proper position, as shown in fig. 4-, and the end H is slipped-under the arm B, which will hold it firmlyin place. The bale is then completely and securely locked. i

The tiebeing thus locked, the end of the hoop H is to be cut off, as shown in fig in anything. The bale cannot now open by any expansive force that the compressed c The shape of the arm B and the sides of the tie are shown clearly in the sectional parts of the tie with which the hoop comes in contact, a a B, being rounded or bevelled off towards the outside, as there shown. This peculiar shape gives strength as well as lightness, and saves the tie from being caught against anything, and damaged, while the balcis being loaded or unloaded from vessels.

I do not vbroadly claim the construction of a tie, consisting of a slotted plate, having an arm extending along one side, and a recess between the arm and the edge otthe plate, for I amaware that such a tie has been. used before, and is covered by. the patent of O. W. Pyle, of September 27, 1859. In that tie, however, the hoop cannot be inserted over the end and locked by turning the tie, but must be inserted in the old way, and then forced around the end ofthearm into the recess. The distinctive feature of my invention is the turning of the tie to lock it, instead of turning or twisting the hoop to force it under an arm. In this respect my tie difiers from all others hitherto invented, and by virtue ofthis difference it is more easily applied, than any other. Not desiring in any case to use a tie applied as that of Mr. Pyle must be, I disclaim entirely his invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

4, to prevent catching otton can exert.

View, fig. 5, each of the The cotton-bale tie above described, consisting of the ring a a a a, having the sides a a straight and parallel, and the sides a a curved, the central opening being of such a form as to enable the hoop to be inserted over the ends a a, and turned so as to rest upon the sides a a, when such ring is used in connection with an arm, B, between which and the nearest side, a, is an open recess, 0, all the said parts being constructed and arranged substantially in the manner and for the purpose specified.

The above specification of my invention signed by me, this 23d day of October, 1867.

J. L. SHEPPARD.

Witnesses:

T1105. D. LEBBY, EUGENE LOPEZ. 

